A Poor Man's Son-in-Law: He Picks Up the Daughter of a Duke's Mansion at the Start

Five days after the Dragon Boat Festival, Wang Xiu came again.

This time she didn't ride a donkey cart; she walked there herself. She wore a plain cotton dress, her hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, and the smile on her face from the Dragon Boat Festival was gone; there were faint dark circles under her eyes.

Zhao was drying honeysuckle in the yard when she saw her and hurried over: "Sister-in-law? What brings you here? Please come in and sit down."

Wang Xiu shook her head and sat down on a small stool in the courtyard. She looked at the honeysuckle drying in the sun, then at the tidy courtyard, and after a while, she spoke: "Sister-in-law, I have something I want to tell you."

Zhao sat down next to her: "Sister-in-law, please speak."

Wang Xiu rubbed her hands together, the silver ring on her finger gleaming in the sunlight. She remained silent for a long time before whispering, "What I said on Dragon Boat Festival was from the bottom of my heart."

Zhao nodded: "I know."

"I used to be so easily swayed, always thinking that town was better than village, and that money was better than love." Wang Xiu's voice was a little hoarse. "But now... now I realize that some things money can't buy."

She looked up, her eyes reddening: "My niece Yunniang, you know, she even came to pay her respects during the New Year."

Zhao remembered. The girl named Yunniang was sixteen years old, with delicate features, spoke softly, and was very polite.

"What's wrong with Yunniang?"

"She..." Wang Xiu's tears fell, "She became a widow."

The courtyard fell silent.

"Widow at the door" refers to a woman who is engaged but whose fiancé dies before the wedding. In this area, such a woman is considered unlucky and brings misfortune to her husband, making it difficult for her to marry well again.

Zhao held Wang Xiu's hand: "Sister-in-law, tell me slowly."

Wang Xiu wiped away her tears and spoke haltingly.

Yunniang got engaged six months ago to the second son of the Liu family, who own a cloth shop in town. The Liu family is well-off, and Yunniang will enjoy a life of luxury after marrying into their family. The two families have already exchanged betrothal gifts, and the wedding is scheduled for October this year.

Seven days ago, the second son of the Liu family went to the county to buy goods. On the way, his carriage overturned, and he died on the spot. The Liu family patriarch and patriarch cried and wailed, and then vented their anger on Yunniang, saying that she was unlucky and had killed her fiancé.

"They...they brought men and broke into my brother's house, threw the betrothal gifts in the yard, said they wanted to break off the engagement, and demanded that Yunniang pay for their son's life." Wang Xiu's voice trembled. "My brother was so angry he almost fainted, and Yunniang cried all night and fell ill the next day."

Zhao was shocked: "How could this be..."

"The Liu family also said that Yunniang should kneel in the ancestral hall and observe three years of mourning for their son." Wang Xiu sobbed uncontrollably, "Three years! A young woman, not even married yet, has to be a widow, how... how will she live in the future..."

A gentle breeze blew through the courtyard, causing the honeysuckle flowers drying in the sun to sway slightly.

Zhao held Wang Xiu's hand tightly, unsure of what to say.

Wang Xiu cried for a while, then gradually calmed down. She looked at Zhao Shi with a complicated expression: "Sister-in-law, do you know why I said those things?"

Zhao shook her head.

"Because I've come to understand," Wang Xiu said. "Wealth and status are all superficial. The most important thing for a girl when she gets married is to marry into a good family—with reasonable parents-in-law, a kind husband, and harmonious sisters-in-law. Families like the Liu family, who blame the girl when something goes wrong, are a living hell no matter how rich they are."

She paused for a moment, then said, "I used to think you were poor and had no ambition. But look at you now, although your family is struggling financially, you are a united family and care for each other. Qingyan is studious and ambitious, Xiaoshan is skilled, and Dashan is honest and hardworking. Although the two girls are not yet fully grown, with parents and brothers like you, they will surely have a bright future."

Zhao's eyes also reddened: "Sister-in-law..."

"Yunniang's matter has made me think a lot," Wang Xiu sighed. "A girl's birth family and marriage family are all fate. Whether her fate is good or bad, she has no control over it. But one thing is certain—if her maternal family is strong, the girl will not be bullied."

She looked at Zhao: "My brother's family is considered a respectable family in town, but when the Liu family came to cause trouble, what could they do besides cry? If... if my brother had some tough brothers or nephews, would the Liu family dare to act like this?"

Zhao understood.

Wang Xiu was heartbroken for her niece, and also worried about herself. She only had one son, Lu Feng, who was a scholar, while Lu Hai was good-for-nothing. If anything happened in the future, who could she rely on?

"Sister-in-law," Zhao said softly, "how is Yunniang now?"

"She's still lying in bed, her fever won't break." Wang Xiu wiped away her tears. "I went to see her, she's lost so much weight, her eyes are empty. A sixteen-year-old girl..."

The two talked for a while longer. Wang Xiu said that her brother had already consulted a doctor, but his heart ailment was difficult to cure. She also said that the Liu family was still making trouble, saying that if Yunniang was not allowed to observe mourning, they would take the matter to the county government.

"They dare!" Zhao was furious.

"What's there to be afraid of?" Wang Xiu smiled bitterly. "The Liu family has connections in the county government. What can we ordinary people do to fight them?"

Just then, Lu Qingyan came out of the house. He had been reading by the window and had heard everything.

"Auntie." He walked over.

Wang Xiu saw him and wiped away her tears: "Qingyan is at home."

Regarding Cousin Yunniang's matter, Lu Qingyan said, "If the Liu family wants to sue, let them sue. According to the laws of the Great Yong Dynasty, if one party in an engagement dies, the engagement is automatically dissolved. There is no reason for a fiancée to observe mourning for her fiancé."

Wang Xiu was stunned: "Really?"

"Really," Lu Qingyan said. "Have your uncle go to the county bookstore and buy a copy of the 'Da Yong Laws' for the Liu family to read. If they cause trouble again, just say they are countersuing them for disturbing private property and extortion."

Wang Xiu's eyes lit up: "This...this will work?"

"Yes," Lu Qingyan said. "The law is there, and no matter how powerful the Liu family is, they wouldn't dare to openly break the law. But Uncle needs to be firm and not be afraid."

Wang Xiu stood up and grasped Lu Qingyan's hand: "Qingyan, thank you... thank you..."

"Auntie, please don't be so polite," Lu Qingyan said. "We're all family."

Wang Xiu sat for a while longer before preparing to leave. Zhao gave her some dried honeysuckle: "Make tea with it; it'll calm your nerves."

Wang Xiu took it and held it tightly: "Sister-in-law, I'm sorry for what happened before."

"Let's not talk about the past."

After seeing Wang Xiu off, Zhao stood at the courtyard gate, motionless for a long time.

Lu Qingyan walked over: "Mother, come in."

Zhao turned to look at him, her eyes red: "Qingyan, if you become successful in the future, you must protect your family. Especially the girls...it's too hard for them."

"I know."

In the evening, Lu Tiezhu and Lu Dashan returned from the fields. After hearing about Yunniang's situation, Lu Tiezhu silently smoked his cigarette, while Lu Dashan clenched his fists tightly.

"The Liu family is bullying us too much!" Lu Dashan said.

"They bully the helpless." Lu Tiezhu tapped his pipe. "Qingyan is right, you have to be tough. But you also need to have the confidence to be tough."

He looked at Lu Qingyan and said, "Study hard. If someone in our family achieves academic success, no one will dare to bully us in the future."

Lu Qingyan nodded emphatically.

At night, he wrote stories under the lamp. When he couldn't continue writing, the image of Yunniang's delicate face would always appear before his eyes—when she came to pay New Year's visits, she would sit quietly and speak in a soft voice.

At sixteen, a blossoming age, she had to endure such an undeserved calamity.

He put down his pen and went into the courtyard.

The moonlight was beautiful, making the ground appear dazzlingly white. In the distance, frogs croaked; nearby, insects chirped.

This world is too harsh on women. They have no say in whose family they are born into, no say in whose family they marry, and they are even blamed when their fiancé dies.

He thought of his two younger sisters. Taohua was lively, and Shunhua was quiet. They were still young and did not yet know the hardships of the world.

We must protect them.

We need to help this family stand up and give them someone to rely on.

He stood there for a long time, until the night dew soaked his clothes.

Back inside, he picked up his pen again. This time he wrote quickly, each word written with force.

He wanted to portray the female protagonist in the storybook as a strong and intelligent woman who didn't rely on men but forged her own path.

Maybe this won't change anything, but at least it's a voice.